Ballon d'Or

[soggy biscuit]

Shortlist announced:

Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal),
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid),
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid),
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid),
Diego (Juventus),
Didier Drogba (Chelsea),
Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg),
Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan),
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal),
Fernando Torres (Liverpool),
Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid),
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool),
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United),
Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux),
Thierry Henry (Barcelona),
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona),
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona),
Julio Cesar (Inter Milan),
Kaka (Real Madrid),
Frank Lampard (Chelsea),
Maicon (Inter Milan),
Lionel Messi (Barcelona),
Luis Fabiano (Seville),
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich),
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United),
John Terry (Chelsea),
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United),
David Villa (Valencia),
Xavi (Barcelona),
Yaya Toure (Barcelona).

Very pleased to see Gourcuff in there, had an absolute blinder last season. I am still LOLzing at AC Milan for ballsing up his loan deal (allegedly) meaning that he could leave.

[Toon Toon Blue army]

No one from Reading?

[handbags_harris]

No one from Reading?

WHAT??? Surely if we have a world class model we should have a world class manager and world class players as well???!!! Scandalous!! Why isn't Jem Karacan in that list? OR Alex Pearce? They are the new Claude Makalele and John Terry don't you know?!

[Y21_Royal]

Only one choice to be made, do you go for the central cog in the best footballing team of modern times or the talisman that so epitomised their brilliance?

[crossie]

That ain't a short list

[winchester_royal]

Iniesta shirley??

[Kitson12]

Would be very happy if Giggs won it.

[The Knitting Circle]

1 messi
2 iniesta
3 vidic

[(.)Boobies(.)]

1 messi
2 iniesta
3 vidic

No room for Ronaldo?

[The Knitting Circle]

1 messi
2 iniesta
3 vidic

No room for Ronaldo?

he is the best player in the world, but i dont think he deserves it this year.

[TBM]

Iniesta is my tip

[(.)Boobies(.)]

1 messi
2 iniesta
3 vidic

No room for Ronaldo?

he is the best player in the world, but i dont think he deserves it this year.

Right, ok.

[soggy biscuit]

Messi wins by a record margin

1 Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), 473 points
2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), 233
3 Xavi (Spain, Barcelona), 170
4 Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona), 149
5 Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Internazionale), 75
6 Kaká (Brazil, Real Madrid), 58
7 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Barcelona), 50
8 Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United), 35
9 Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), 33
10 Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool), 32

[No Fixed Abode]

Drogba

[soggy biscuit]

Anyone know where Frank the Tank is on that list??

Good to see Rooney & Gerrard reprisenting England on there

[Thaumagurist*]

Good to see that there isn't a single Frenchman in the top 10. However, not impressed with cheats being in the top 2.

[Row Z Royal]

Good to see that there isn't a single Frenchman in the top 10. However, not impressed with cheats being in the top 2.

Fúck off, play football for a couple of years and then get back to us.

[prostak]

Anyone know where Frank the Tank is on that list??

Lampard? Joint 21st with Arshavin and Julio Cesar.

My main issue, other than the stupidly high ranking of Gerrard, is Vidic being the top defender. While I'm loath to nominate an alternative, I can't help but think there's someone less error-prone out there.

[soggy biscuit]

Anyone know where Frank the Tank is on that list??

Lampard? Joint 21st with Arshavin and Julio Cesar.

My main issue, other than the stupidly high ranking of Gerrard, is Vidic being the top defender. While I'm loath to nominate an alternative, I can't help but think there's someone less error-prone out there.

I am a big fan of Vidic but you are right, when he comes up against a quality forward like Torres he gets found out every time